March 20, 190i; 



HORTICULTURE 



389 



Cattleya Luddemanniana alba 



Cattlevii Luildinianniana is a Veiiziu'lan species not 

 generally cultivateil thousjli it has floweis of large size 

 and great beauty ; in fact flowers 8 inches across are not 

 iinuiniiiinn with this species. It was formerly known 

 uri'i I the name of C. speciosissinia and is still cata- 

 log, 'cil unilcr that name by some growers but the name 

 s'veii nliiiw is the accepted one of orchid authorities. 

 Like almost all Cattleyas it has its albino forms but 

 these are exceedintrly rare so that the illustration of 

 one that has just flowered at Florham Farms should be 

 of more than ordinary interest. 



It is the first white form of this species I have ever 

 seen whilst other growers having had a life experience 

 in orchids tell me they have never seen one. Are there 

 any records of a white one having flowered before in 

 this country? I know there are several in Europe but 

 European conditions are not favorable to frequent flow- 

 'ering of this species. The plant in question came to me 

 several years ago and I was informed that it was a white 

 one but the tiny piece consisted of three bulbs not one 

 of them as large as a hickory nut so it has been a mat- 

 ter of years growing it up to prove that it is what it was 

 represented to be. The flowers are of large size, and 

 good substance especially having regard to the small 

 size of the plant which is growing in a five-inch pan. 



Altliough as before said C. Luddemanniana is not 

 largely grown it deserves more attention from American 

 growers for it can be made to flower freely and finely 

 in this country with proper treatment. It can stand 

 more heat and more exposure ; in fact these are the two 

 essential requisites as compared with the usual treat- 

 ment accorded to Cattleyas. 



Some years ago Mr. Geo. Field of Washington grew 

 this Cattleya successfully and it flowered abundantly 

 and, if memory serves me rightly, when I saw them they 

 were growing on the back bench of a house devoted to 

 Meteor roses and during the hottest part of the year a 

 piece of cheese cloth was hung down in front of them 



to break the bright sun rays as there was no shade on 

 the roof of the house. 



At Florham Farms we have had good success also 

 with this Cattleya and although it falls short in num- 

 lier of flowers produced as compared with other species 

 the flowers are always of large size and commanding 

 beauty. Another peculiarity about it, too, is its pro- 

 longed season of flowering. Our experience would indi- 

 cate its season of flowering to be from February to 

 April because then we have most flowers from it, but 

 iiur records show we have cut flowers of it every month 

 in the year except June. I recall cutting some very fine 

 flowers once in December that a prominent New York 

 florist said made C. Trianee look like "thirty cents." 

 Another point in its favor is that it has a robust con- 

 stitution, keeping strong and healthy, and living longer 

 under cultivation than most Cattleyas do. 



J- 



l^T^-Z-y^-u-^U^ 



The Florists^ Pentstemon 



The interesting note by Alfred J. Loveless on these 

 beautiful, half-hardy perennials in Hoeticultube for 

 March 6th should assist in promoting an extended in- 

 terest in their cultivation and it may be safely assumed 

 that their many merits will be fully appreciated when 

 these handsome plants become better known. 



In many of the best estates on the other side of the 

 "pond" Pentstemons now form one of the principal at- 

 tractions of the flower garden and the many fine varie- 

 ties now on the market are, as Mr. Loveless truly says, 

 the result of much careful hybridizing and selection. 



The finest varieties in cultivation are, undoubtedly, 

 those raised by Mr. E. Beckett of the Aldenham Gar- 

 dens, Elstree, England, who has for many years en- 

 deavored to produce large flowers combined with free- 

 ness and good constitutions. The result is that some 

 sorts now have flowers three inches across individually. 

 I see that this excellent strain has been introduced to 

 America, and it is to be hoped the Pentstemon in its 

 improved state will become as popular here as elsewhere. 



I had several years' experience in growing and select- 

 ing the best varieties and am quite sure that no finer 

 ]ilants exist for the embellishment of the flower garden 

 during the summer and early fall months, and very few 

 plants require such a small amount of care to bring 

 them to perfection. If one grows them in groups or 

 beds of separate varieties some wonderful effects can 

 be prodttced, but to do this it is necessary to take cut- 

 tings in the fall and plant out in April when frosts have 

 disappeared. 



It is very interesting to grow a batch of seedlings and 

 select one's own varieties as there is always sure to be 

 great diversity of color and these will also prolong the 

 display well into the fall as they do not commence to 

 blossom so early as the cuttings. The Florists' Penste- 

 mon is well suited to the climatic conditions of this 

 countiy and in some parts would prove of peren- 

 nial duration but the most satisfactory resitlts are 

 always obtained by treating them as annuals. 



Arnold Arhoreiurn. 



